


Promise that I’ll meet you halfway

by justhockey



Series: Sing To Me Instead [2]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Auston is pining, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Happy Ending, M/M, Mild Angst, Mitch is oblivious, Mutual Pining, Zach and Willy are disgustingly cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-06 15:30:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18391205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justhockey/pseuds/justhockey
Summary: He’s notneedy, despite what basically everyone who’s ever known him says, he just likes spending time with Auston. Auston keeps his feet on the ground, keeps him from getting a little too excitable, and Mitch needs that sometimes. Plus, he has, like, perfect shoulders for napping on. Which. Yeah, Mitch isn’t even gonnatouchthat.





	Promise that I’ll meet you halfway

**Author's Note:**

> Title from _Honest Man_ by Ben Platt.

So Willy and Zach are dating. Like, actually in a proper, grown-up relationship. A _couple_. Zach picks coffee up for Will every morning on the way to practice, they go out for lunch, like, _without_ the rest of the guys now - which is rude if you ask Mitch, though no one ever does - and sometimes they even arrive together, Willy wearing Zach’s name and number stretched out across his back. It’s a lot. 

And look, Mitch is happy for them, like, _duh_. They’re two of his best friends, and the way they look at each other makes it impossible for Mitch to _not_ be happy for them. But. He gets a heavy feeling in chest every time he sees them laughing together or trying to sneak kisses without getting caught and fined. 

He’s not jealous. Because that’s dumb. It’s not like he has a _thing_ for either of them or anything, because Mitch is at least 83% sure he’s straight. It’s more that he’s just envious (which is different to jealous, _shut up_ ) of their relationship, how happy they seem and how in sync they are with each other. Like. Mitch wants that too. Or whatever. 

It’s not a big deal or anything. Like, he’s as far from lonely as you could possibly get; between the roadies, practices and games, and the fact that Auston practically _lives_ with him, Mitch is basically never on his own. And he loves it like that, he thrives off being surrounded by people who obligingly pay attention to him, because Mitch is nothing if he’s not a sucker for attention. 

So he’s not lonely. After he broke up with his ex girlfriend he was too busy to even really miss her. But still. 

He feels a twinge in his heart when he boards the plane and sees Willy already asleep on Zach’s shoulder, Zach’s hand gently playing with Willy’s hair. It’s early as fuck, so Mitch refrains from flicking Willy to wake him up. He flashes a grin and a wink at Zach, who tries to roll his eyes but just ends up smiling, and then makes his way to the back of the plane. 

He’s getting himself comfortable, fidgeting with the arm rest and queuing up the episodes of Brooklyn 99 he’d downloaded to watch on the flight, when Auston plops down unceremoniously beside him. It’s no surprise, obviously. Mitch and Auston sit together on every flight and bus ride, at every team event, when they’re out drinking, and they even room together on the road despite the fact that they’re allowed their own rooms now. 

It’s not like they’re codependent, _Morgan_ , they’re just besties. 

“What are we watching?” Auston asks as he gets comfortable and fastens his seatbelt. 

“Brooklyn 99,” Mitch replies, grinning. 

“Sweet,” Auston says, smiling back at Mitch, “which season?”

“Season four, Jake and Holt are in Florida,” Mitch informs him. 

“Marns, this is the sixth time we’ve watched these,” Auston complains, rolling his eyes at Mitch. 

Mitch likes them okay, sue him. Plus, if Auston was _really_ bothered he’d have said something after the first, like, three times. Mitch knows he loves them. 

He just pouts at Auston, then starts to laugh when Auston’s frown quickly shifts to a fond smile. It helps that they got a shutout the night before, but Mitch likes to pretend it’s just his charm. He digs his elbow into Auston’s side for good measure then tips his head back and closes his eyes for take off. 

It’s not long before he feels Auston take hold of his hand. You’d have thought that after years of regular flights Auston would have gotten over his fear - _aversion_ according to Auston - but he still hates is just as much as he always has. Mitch smiles a little, but keeps his eyes closed as he squeezes Auston’s hand. Not that he would _ever_ admit it, but he kind of likes getting to hold Auston’s hand at take-off and landing. Like, not in a _gay_ way, because 83%, but. He likes that Auston trusts him enough to be vulnerable with him. 

And if he gets kind of sad when Auston lets go, well. He ignores that. 

Mitch opens up his laptop once the seatbelt signs are turned off. He places it on his tray table, angling it so Auston can see the screen, then wordlessly hands Auston one earphone. He places the other in his ear and presses play, shifting slightly so he can rest his head on Auston’s shoulder. 

*

The next time Mitch opens his eyes they’re just beginning their descent. Auston had already put Mitch’s laptop away for him, and was currently scrolling through his instagram DMs. Mitch stays still for a minute, reading the messages that Auston clicks on, and frowning every time he sees a half naked selfie of some wannabe insta model. He tries not to huff in annoyance, but it’s hard, because honestly, they’re _throwing_ themselves at Auston. And like. Okay, he’s not entirely sure _why_ that makes him pissed, it just does. Whatever. 

“Mitchy?” Auston says, his voice sleepy as if he hasn’t been awake long either. 

Mitch sits up and stretches, throwing in a yawn that’s only half fake, to make it look like he hadn’t been spying on Auston’s private messages. 

“Hey,” he replies. 

“I had to put your seatbelt back on for you, we hit some turbulence and I didn’t wanna wake you,” Auston says. 

Mitch looks down to see that his seatbelt is indeed fastened around his waist. Oh. He’s not really certain why his stomach kind of flips a little at that. Like, it’s not _weird_ or anything, Mitch probably would have done the same thing for Auston if the guy was capable of sleeping through turbulence. So it’s honestly normal. Mitch rubs his eyes, mentally blaming his weird mood on how he’s still groggy after last nights game and such an early flight. 

“Thanks man,” he says. 

When he turns his head to look out the window, he feels Auston slip his hand into Mitch’s again. He fights back a smile, just squeezes tight, and watches the city below them get closer and closer. At this point in the season his brain is so fried that he’s not entirely sure _which_ city they’re in, if he’s honest, but he’s not too concerned. He’s certain that Auston is gonna make him watch game tape of whoever they’re playing against later on, probably after a nap but before team dinner. That’s what they normally do. 

He pretends that he has a familiar routine with all his bros. (He doesn’t). 

*

It turns out that they’re in Columbus.

Mitch dumps all his bags on one bed once they get into their hotel room, then collapses onto the one closest to the window. Auston places his bags down a little more carefully, then nudges Mitch’s leg until he groans and moves over, making enough room for Auston to lie beside him. 

They’d started sharing a bed on roadies halfway through their rookie year. It wasn’t like, _weird_ , or anything. It was just convenient. Their bags always take up so much room and they were always tripping over them. It made more sense to put them all on one bed and just share the other. Auston hadn’t objected when Mitch had suggested it, after tripping over one of their bags for the sixth time in the span of about an hour, so, like. It was obviously okay. 

(They had never mentioned it to their teammates though, and they’d also conveniently avoided having the team gather in their room. Whatever. Not a big deal.)

“You hanging out with Werenski today?” Mitch asks, secretly hoping that Auston says no. 

Not that he has anything against Zach, but like, Mitch would much rather Auston stay and hang out with him. He’s not _needy_ , despite what basically everyone who’s ever known him says, he just likes spending time with Auston. Auston keeps his feet on the ground, keeps him from getting a little too excitable, and Mitch needs that sometimes. Plus, he has, like, perfect shoulders for napping on. Which. Yeah, Mitch isn’t even gonna _touch_ that. 

Auston shakes his head. “I’ll probably see him after the game tomorrow, but you’re stuck with me today, bro,” Auston teases. 

Mitch rolls his eyes and groans melodramatically, because hell if he’s gonna let Auston know just how much he actually enjoys spending time with him. That would completely ruin his reputation. And _yes_ , he does have a cool rep, _Gards_. 

“Ugh, _fine_ ,” Mitch sighs. 

Auston laughs and reaches out to slap his hand lightly against Mitch’s chest. And it’s not like Mitch _wants_ Auston to leave his hand there. It’s just, he wouldn’t mind if _Auston_ wanted to, is what he’s saying. 

“You wanna go out for lunch or order room service?” Auston asks. 

Mitch glances at the alarm clock on the bedside table. The fluorescent red digits tell him that it’s just gone noon. He remembers the really good sandwich place they went to with Willy and Kappy the last time they were in Columbus, but when he tries to sit up and fails because he’s so tired, he quickly changes his mind. 

“Room service,” he says, the words almost indistinguishable through the yawn he lets out. 

Auston chuckles again and Mitch kind of wants to keep making Auston laugh for the rest of his life. Like. As bros. 

“Grilled cheese?” Auston asks as he rolls over to pick up the phone. 

Mitch grins even though Auston isn’t looking at him. “You know me so well.”

“ _Too well_ ,” he hears Auston grumble. 

He reaches across the bed and shoves his shoulder playfully. Auston moves to shove him back, but then someone must answer the phone because he just glares at Mitch then recites their order. 

“No longer than half an hour,” Auston says once he puts the phone down. 

“Sweet,” Mitch replies, “then we can nap after, then watch game before we go for dinner?”

Auston nods, “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

Mitch refrains from saying that everything is a good plan when it involves Auston. 

*

They beat the Blue Jackets, and Auston gets the game winning goal in overtime. It’s possible that Mitch slams into Auston a little too hard and holds him a little too tight during the celly, but really, you can’t blame him. It’s was a beauty of a goal. Auston deserved all the love for it, and Mitch made sure he was the one to give it to him. 

*

They’re at a club. They’ve just won, the music is loud - just the way Mitch likes it - and so far he’s been able to avoid getting a round of drinks in, so really, he should be having a great night. Except he’s not. He can’t quite figure out _why_ he’s not having fun, but he’s glaringly aware of the niggling feeling of frustration that’s bubbling up inside of him. 

They’re all stuffed into a booth. Willy is half sat on Zach’s lap, hidden in the back corner away from view, and everyone is laughing at some story Enzo is telling them. Mitch tries to join in, but he’s too distracted. Without even meaning to, Mitch’s eyes flicker over to the bar, where Auston is standing with a drink in hand, laughing at something Werenski said. They’re standing, like, _really_ close. Which is fine. It’s loud, they probably can’t hear each other too well. That explains why Werenski leans right in to Auston to say something into his ear. It doesn’t, however, explain why Mitch finds himself clenching his fists tightly. 

He’s vaguely aware of the conversation going on behind him, but he’s too invested in watching Auston and Werenski to pay attention. Which. There’s probably something to that, Mitch thinks, then buries that thought deep, _deep_ down inside of him. 

And like, Mitch knows that he’s Auston’s best friend, because Auston tells him all the time when he’s drunk. So there’s no need for him to be jealous of Auston being friends with Werenski. No need at all. But his leg starts to twitch when Zach rests his hands on Auston’s arm as he laughs, then doesn’t bother moving it, just keeps it there. And like, it’s dark and they’re a fair distance away, but Mitch swears he can see Werenski’s thumb brushing gently against Auston’s skin. 

He doesn’t mean to stand out of his seat. Like, what’s he gonna do? Go over there? Ha, _no_. But now he’s drawn attention to himself and the rest of the guys turn to look at him. He wasn’t planning on leaving early, but now he’s not really got much choice. Plus, he doesn’t fancy sticking around to watch Werenski flirt with his - best friend. Yeah. 

“I’m gonna head back to the hotel,” Mitch practically has to yell over the music. 

“Can’t hack it with the grown ups, Marns?” Freddie chirps. 

“Fuck off,” he replies, perhaps a bit too harshly. “You’ll die before me,” he adds to soften it. 

*

Mitch really isn’t sure what he’s feeling. The only thing he’s certain of is that he doesn’t like it. 

When he gets back to his and Auston’s hotel room and changes into sweats and a t-shirt, he stands in between the two beds. Without letting himself question why, he clears all the bags off the bed next to the wall and climbs into it. It’ll be the first time he and Auston haven’t shared a bed on a roadie since their rookie year. 

He’s still awake when Auston gets back an hour later, just before curfew. He stays completely still. He can sense Auston hesitating between the beds like Mitch himself had done, and he breathes a sigh of relief when Auston climbs into the one next to the window. 

The relief is short lived though, because Mitch quickly realises that he _wants_ to be sharing with Auston. He’s not even really sure _why_ he had switched beds. There had been plenty times they’d argued and still gone to sleep beside each other, and it’s not like they are even fighting or anything. But for some reason, after seeing Auston and Werenski flirting, it just doesn’t feel right. Whatever the _fuck_ that means. 

Mitch tries and fails to sleep. So the next morning, when they’re on their flight back to Toronto, Mitch leans against the window to get some sleep. Auston is sitting beside him like usual. In fact, they had been acting completely normal with each other all morning. Auston had still sat next to him at breakfast, and he reaches out to hold Mitch’s hand when they take off too, which is good. It is. But Mitch can’t bring himself to sleep on Auston’s shoulder like he usually would. That still felt like. Too much. 

He tries to ignore the fact that he sleeps better cramped up on a plane, with Auston’s thigh pressing into his, than he did in an empty hotel bed. He doesn’t know what to do with that. 

*

They lose the first half of a back to back but win the second half, playoffs are looking more like a possibility every day, and overall things are going pretty well. But Mitch just can’t seem to settle. He’s barely sleeping, his attention span is, like, shorter than usual, and honestly he just kind of wants to claw his skin off at this point. He doesn’t know _why_ , doesn’t know what it is that’s keeping him so on edge, but he has a feeling it’s got something to do with Auston. 

They haven’t fought or anything, and things are basically normal between them. Like, they’re not spending _quite_ as much time together as they usually do, but it’s nothing significant, and it’s definitely not noticeable to the team - mainly because they never tell the team when they’re spending their days off together so they don’t crash their date days. Like. Not _date_ dates, obviously. Bro dates. 

Mitch needs to, like, talk to someone. Patty would normally be his go-to for basically any kind of problem, but he doesn’t want to take Patty’s time away from his kids on a rare day off. Plus, now Zach and Willy are all domestic and whatnot, they seem way more mature than they used to. Especially Willy. So, Mitch grabs his jacket and leaves his apartment. 

*

“Mitch, buddy, what exactly are you asking?” Zach asks. 

He’s pacing the floor of Zach’s apartment. Zach is sitting on the couch watching him, and Willy is lay on his back, his head resting on Zach’s lap as he throws a tennis ball up into the air time and time again. 

“What’s wrong with me?” Mitch says. 

“Marns, how are we supposed to know what’s wrong with you?” Willy interjects, not even moving his head. 

Mitch groans. “I just _told_ you everything.”

Willy laughs and Zach taps him lightly on the shoulder to scold him. That’s why Zach is Mitch’s favourite. Well, _Auston_ is Mitch’s favourite, but still. 

“Yeah, but what Will is trying to say is that you didn’t really make much sense,” Zach says, offering him a half smile. 

Mitch groans again and runs his hands through his hair, then sits down on the edge of the coffee table. 

“Things are weird between me and Auston,” Mitch repeats, “Like, not _weird_ weird, he might not have even noticed, but I don’t know? It started in Columbus.”

“When he met up with the not-as-good Zach?” Willy asks, sounding like he knows something Mitch doesn’t. 

“Yeah!” Mitch exclaims, hoping Willy has an answer for him, but he just sniggers instead. 

Mitch rolls his eyes at Willy and gives Zach a pleading look. He came to them hoping they would _help_ , not just laugh at his misery. 

“Mitch, think about it, yeah? You started feeling weird after seeing him with Werenski,” Zach says, trying to prompt something in Mitch, though Mitch has no idea what. 

Like, yes, he _knows_ that’s when things got weird, how is repeating it going to help?

But he tries to think anyway. He’d figured maybe he was jealous of Auston being such good friends with someone else, but the more he’d thought about that the less it made sense, because Auston has plenty other friends and that’s never bothered Mitch before. The only difference between Werenski and Auston’s other friends is how flirty Zach always is with Auston. And like, yeah, of course Mitch doesn’t like having to watch someone flirt with his best friend. That’s just weird, right?

He and Auston spend basically all of their time together, even when they don’t have to - they've already planned a trip for once the season is over with. Auston is like the _one_ person Mitch would drop his gloves to defend on the ice. And yeah, okay, maybe Mitch is a _little_ needy when it comes to Auston, but so what? Willy is the exact same with Zach. And - 

Oh. 

_Willy is the exact same with Zach._. 

“Oh my god I’m in love with Auston?” Mitch says, phrasing it like it’s a question, even though Mitch is fairly certain he knows the answer. 

Guess that 83% straight was a little off then. 

At that, Willy swings his legs off the couch and sits up. He and Zach both lean forward a little. They’re both grinning, though Willy’s is a little more smug than Zach’s is. 

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Mitch asks, kind of breathless. 

“Well done Mitchy, you caught up,” Willy chirps, but he’s grinning. 

“I should go, I have to, yeah,” Mitch fumbles over his words, reaching for his jacket and tugging it on. 

“Go get your boyfriend!” Willy yells as Mitch leaves. 

*

“Hey,” Mitch says. 

He’s out of breath because he took the stairs instead of the elevator, trying to work out some of his nervous energy. His hair is a mess from how much he’d been tugging at it, and he’s fairly certain his cheeks are bright red, but Auston grins when he sees him anyway. 

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Auston asks. 

And that. It kinds of hurts Mitch’s heart a little. Because since they’d met each other they had always just turned up at each other’s places, no questions asked, and the fact that Auston is surprised to see Mitch means he’s been kind of a sucky friend lately. 

“Can’t I want to play Fortnite with my bestie?” Mitch asks, grinning as he steps inside and closes the door behind him. 

Auston just laughs at that, “Sure, I’ll get it set up.”

Mitch is relieved that Auston doesn’t ask any questions, not that there’s any real reason why he should do. He’s just glad he gets a little more time to figure out what he’s gonna say. 

All he had done on the car ride from Zach’s was analyse every single interaction between him and Auston that he could think of. He’d come to the conclusion that Auston _probably_ felt at least a little bit the same. Like, if it was obvious to Willy - who is kind of oblivious - that Mitch was gone for Auston, then Auston must have picked up on it too, because he is actually pretty perceptive. And the fact that Auston hadn’t called him out on it or distanced himself from Mitch was pretty telling. 

Plus, when he thinks about it, choosing to share a room, _and_ a bed, when they don’t have to? Probably not just bros. And the hand holding too. And sleeping on each other’s shoulders. And basically every interaction they’ve ever had. 

Okay. So maybe Mitch can be a _little_ oblivious sometimes. 

They’re playing Fortnite and Auston’s winning, because he’s a cheat and definitely _not_ because Mitch sucks. _He doesn’t._ It’s fun. Or, like. It would be, except Mitch can’t actually breathe because he’s in love with Auston and all of a sudden sitting so close to him and not being able to touch him kind of sucks. He’s practically vibrating in his seat, and if Auston’s noticed then he doesn’t say anything. But Mitch feels like he’s about to explode, so he pauses the game and gets up to go to the bathroom. 

When he gets back, Auston is on his phone. As he walks around the back of the couch he sees that Auston is scrolling through his DMs on instagram again. And like, Mitch has no right to be mad about that, but he really is. He kind of wants to take Auston’s phone and throw it across the room. But he can’t do that, so he just sits back down next to Auston. 

“You gonna meet up with one of them?” Mitch asks, trying to sound nonchalant. 

“What?” Auston asks, then looks back down at his phone. “Oh, I don’t know.”

“Don’t.”

Mitch’s heart is probably about to break out of his rib cage. 

Auston raises his eyebrows. “Why?”

“Because, funny story actually,” Mitch says, trying to laugh, “I’m kind of in love with you.”

Auston’s phone literally falls out of his hand. Mitch takes in the way Auston’s cheeks are beginning to flush, and he has to drag his gaze away from the way his adams apple bobs as he swallows. 

“Sorry, what?” Auston says, his voice scratchy and deep and ten kinds of attractive. 

“I’m in love with you,” Mitch repeats, “and I think you might feel the same.”

He’s not quite sure where he found the guts to say that, but it’s _so_ worth it when he gets to see a grin spread across Auston’s face. He doesn’t even get a chance to smile back before Auston is throwing himself across the couch and into Mitch’s lap. Somehow their mouths find each other, and Auston kisses Mitch like he’s running out of air and the only place he can find oxygen is in Mitch’s mouth. 

Mitch is _definitely_ not complaining. 

“So, just be 100% clear, you do feel the same, right?” Mitch asks. 

Auston is holding Mitch’s face between his hands, Mitch is gripping Auston’s shirt, and they’re so close their noses are touching. When Auston laughs, Mitch can feel the warmth of his breath on his skin. 

“I’ve wanted you for so long, Mitchy, you have no idea,” Auston replies breathlessly, then leans forward to press another kiss to Mitch’s lips. 

*

_**Mitchy has added Aus, Willy, and Zach to the chat Too Gay 2 Function🏳️🌈** _

_**Mitchy:** can u believe there are 2 couples on our team_

_**Mitchy:** who knew the nhl was so gay_

_**Zach:** Congrats!!!_

_**Willy:** OMG_

_**Mitchy:** sorry ur not the cutest couple on the team anymore_

_**Willy:** ew fuck you_

_**Aus:** Don’t talk to my boyfriend like that_

_**Mitchy changed Aus’ name to Boyfriend💖💝💕💗💓** _

**Author's Note:**

> This doesn’t follow this years schedule, like, at all.


End file.
